1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to construction materials and, more specifically, to closure strips employed to fill voids formed by corrugated roofing materials and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Corrugated sheets of metal and fiberglass are used in many construction applications, such as roofing. In a roofing application, a corrugated sheet is typically fastened to a roofing structure, such as purlins affixed to roof trusses, so that the troughs in the corrugated sheet run down the slope formed by the trusses, perpendicular to the purlins. The corrugated sheets are first fastened at the eaves and then overlapping sheets are placed on the roof structure up to the ridge of the roof.
Some buildings employ a soffit and fascia to restrict air flow from the outside of the building to the inside. However, in a roof that does not employ plywood decking as a base for the corrugated sheets, air can flow in the spaces defined by the fascia and the corrugations of the corrugated sheets. Also, small birds and insects can enter the building through these spaces.
Undulated closure strips are typically used to fill these spaces so as to restrict air flow and animal access to buildings using corrugated roofing. Typically, when building a roof, the fascia is affixed to the eaves and then a series of closure strips are affixed to the fascia and purlins. The corrugated sheet is then affixed to the roof structure so that the sheets adjacent to the eaves sit on top of the closure strips, with the undulations of the closure strips sealing the spaces between the corrugations and the fascia.
One type of closure strip is made from injection molded plastic, which a rigid undulated fascia that has a shape complimentary to the corrugations in the corrugated sheet. This type of closure strip is typically nailed to the fascia during installation. It has several disadvantages, including a high materials cost and the fact that the closure strips are made of rigid plastic, gaps can form between irregularities in the roofing sheets and the closure strips, thereby allowing air to pass through the gaps. Another type of closure strip is made from foam molded or cut to have solid undulations. Solid foam closure strips conform to the corrugated sheets, but have the disadvantage of wasting materials.
Therefore, there is a need for an inexpensive and lightweight closure strip.